Joe Oliver, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, noted strengthened environmental protections introduced by the Canadian government regarding transport of its energy resources as part of remarks welcoming Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP’s Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project. Noted protections included a requirement for double-hulled tankers, further increasing the number of inspections of federally regulated pipelines by 50%, doubling the amount of annual audits, mandatory pilotage of vessels, and increasing navigational tools.

“We know that 99% of Canada's oil exports are transported to the US, whose need for imported oil will decline sharply in the coming years,” Oliver said. Canada must therefore develop the capacity to transport our energy to countries that will need it, in an environmentally responsible way.”

Oliver said, “In British Columbia alone, resource industries support 100,000 direct jobs. They also make up 13% of its economy and account for 80% of its exports.”

KMEP last year announced plans to expand Trans Mountain, which extends from Edmonton to Canada’s western coast, to 850,000 b/d from 300,000 b/d by twinning it and adding storage and pump stations (OGJ Online, Apr. 16, 2012). Pending regulatory approval, KMEP plans to begin construction in 2016 for a 2017 in-service date.